X-ray bucky diaphragm support



c. YOUNG 2,276,137

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o *.5 v9 i fnv@ 71207 Filed June 14, 1940 x-RAY'BUCKY DIAPHRAGMISUPPORT w I'I M 49M, ,l

March I, 1942.

March 10, 1942. C. YOUNG.

x-.RAY BUCKY DIAPHRAGM SUPPORT f Filed Junem., 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1.942:

Buiten STATES Tar OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention pertains to X-ray apparatus and particularly to apparatus for supporting a Bucky diaphragm and a radiograph subject.

In the practice of radiography, X-ray pictures are often made in connection with studies concerning posture, spinal curvature conditions and other conditions of the human body wherein the positional relations of various bones relative to the vertical are of primary importance. In such radiographic work it is essential that the standing or sitting human subject be placed on a plane surface which is accurately placed in a horizontal plane so that the subject will not assume some undesired position such as would be assumed if the subject were supported by a sloping surface. For reference to the vertical it is particularly desirable that the nished X-ray picture or radiograph have thereon a vertical line and, when the radiograph is being taken, conditions must be such that the vertical reference line will be accurately vertically disposed. In making radiographs, it is the usual practice to place the sensitized nlm in a cassette carried by a tray which is placed in the interior space of a Bucky diaphragm the front face element of which is transparent to X-rays. The subject is placedv before the film-containing Bucky diaphragm unit and the X-rays are directed through the subject into the front of the Bucky diaphragm unit so as to impinge upon the lm therewithin. In many instances the Bucky diaphragm unit is disposed in a vertical plane but it is also desirable to be able to place the Bucky diaphragm unit in various planes inclined to the vertical so as to conform to the forwardly or rearwardly inclined position of a portion of a human body of which radiographs are being taken.

An object of my invention is to provide a common supporting structure for a Bucky diaphragm unit and a subject so that the portions thereof supporting respectively the Bucky diaphragm unit and the subject may be adjustively leveled as a unit.

VAnother object is to provide such supporting apparatus including a plane surface for support of the subject and means for leveling the apparatus for disposing the plane surface accurately in a horizontal plane.

Yet another object is to provide such apparatus having a vertically extensible Bucky supporting column which is placed in vertical position incidental to placing the subject-supporting surface in a horizontal plane.

Still another object is to provide such apparatus wherein the Bucky diaphragm unit may be rotatively swung to any inclined -position throughout a range of 360 degrees about an axis which may be adjusted to exact parallel relation with the subject-supporting surface whereby a centerline placed on the Bucky diaphragm unit will remain in a plane perpendicular to the subject-supporting surface.

A further object is to provide such apparatus wherein the Bucky diaphragm unit is supported entirely from one side thereof so that the remaining side is always accessible for removal of the lm tray without the necessity for removal o f the Bucky diaphragm unit from its support when the iilm is being placed in or removed from the Bucky diaphragm unit. Y

A yet further object is vto provide such apparatus wherein the Bucky diaphragm unit is provided with an exteriorlyvisible centerline unit which constitutes a reference line for use in adjusting the apparatus and which is made of material which is opaque to X-ray` so that the accurately vertical centerline will appear on a radiograph made with my apparatus. v

A still further object is to provide such apparatus of relatively light, simple, compact, rugged,`

easily operated and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially broken-away front View of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the Fig. 4 is av vertical side view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 with certain parts removed, and Fig. 5 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows.

Referringto the drawings, I show, in operative relation with other parts of my complete apparatus, a'Bucky diaphragm unit 6 which is, in general, of conventional design and which contains the usual removable tray 'l carrying a conventional film-receiving cassette 8. The tray 1 is slidable into the interior space of the Bucky unit 6 and isshown in Fig. 1 in a partially removed position.' In accordance with common practice the front wall of the Bucky unit 6 is made of sheet material which is transparent to X-rays. Since the Bucky unit 6, the tray 1l and the cassette 8 are of conventional construction it is not believed necessary, for the purposes of this application, to describe the same in further detail.

On the front of the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 I provide a removable auxiliary sheet 9 of material which is transparent to X-rays and, on this sheet 9, I provide an elongated thin element I which is secured in any suitable manner to the face of the sheet 9 in such position as to constitute a longitudinal centerline for the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 for use in adjusting the apparatus in a manner to be described. Preferably the centerline element I9 is made of material opaque to X-rays so that it will cast a shadow on lm in the Bucky diaphragm unit Ii during an X-ray exposure to make a centerline on the radiograph picture. If desired a set of co-ordinate lines II may be also placed on the auxiliary sheet -9- as indicated in Fig. l, and these co-ordinate lines would preferably be made of material opaque to X-rays. The upper portion of the auxiliary sheet is provided with a pair of apertures 9a which are narrowed in their upper portions and which cooperate with elements such as` the screws I2 carried by the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 to enable removable attachment of the auxiliary sheet 9 to the Bucky diaphragm unit 6. If desired, the auxiliary sheet 9 may be omitted and the centerline element I9 and coordinate line elements may be placed directly on thev front face of the Bucky diaphragm unit Ii.`

`To support the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 and also a human subject for a radiograph picture I provide a relatively large fiat horizontally disposed base I3 having relatively thick and strong marginal portions |3a, I3b and |3c along the side and rear edges thereof. The central portion |3d has a plane upper face Iconstituting a platform or surface on which a human subject may stand or upon which a chair for the subject to sit on may be placed. I provide adjustable means whereby the base I3 may be leveled to tion |3d of the base I3 into exact horizontal pol sition even though the base I3 is placed on a floor or the like which is not level. For this purpose I provide, at each corner of the base I3, a foot |4 which carries an externally screwthreaded upstanding shank Illia screw-threadedly engaged in a suitably apertured and internally screw-threaded portion of the base I3. It should be apparent that suitable rotations of the respective feet I4 will level up the baseV I3 to place the previously mentioned plane subject-supporting surface in exact horizontal position.

On the right-hand thickened marginal portion |3a of the base I3 I form an upstanding cylindrically recessed boss |36 in which the lower end of an upstanding tubular member I5 is rigidly secured. A tubular element I`6 of somewhat less diameter than the member I5 is longitudinally telescoped into the interior of the tubular member I5 so that the tubular member I5 and the tubular element I6 together form an extensible vertical column or supporting structure. A co1- lar |5b is snugly tted in the upper end of the tubular member I5 and has an internal diameter enabling snug sliding movement of the tubular element I6 therethrough. A radially outwardly projecting, longitudinally j extending toothed rack I6a is formed on the exterior surface of the tubular element I6 and the Icollar I5b is suitably cut away to leave a gap to accommodate the rack |6a. The rack |6a and the gap in the collar |5b function as a key and keyway to restrain the tubular element I6 from rotation relative to the tubular member I5. A body I5a is formed on the upper end of the tubular member |5 and is suitably formed, cut away and apertured to receive in journalled relation a shaft Il carrying a gear I8 which is in mesh with the teeth of the rack I'Bo. A screw |50 is provided, as shown in Fig. 3, to xedly interconnect the tubular member I5, the body |5a and the collar |5b so as to prevent rotation of one thereof relative to the other. The lower end of the tubular element I6 carries a collar I6b suitably secured thereon and having such an external diameter as to snugly slide within the tubular member I5. The tubular member is, of course, suitably apertured to afford access of the gear I8 to the rack I6a. A second shaft I9 is journalled in suitably apertured portions of the body I5a and carries a gear 20 non-rotatably mounted thereon and meshed with the first gear I8. Exteriorly of the bod-y I5a the shaft 205 carries a crank 2| which may be operated to raise or lower the tubular element I6 relative to the tubular member I5.

On the upper end of the tubular element IB I provide a generally horizontal member 22 which includes a downwardly projecting cylindrical portion 22a which is snugly telescoped into the upper end of the tubular element I6 and which is secured therein by suitable means such as the screw 23. A flat bottomed, longitudinally apertured` bearing member 24 is placed on top of the lmember 22 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. rIhe top surface of the member 22 is inclined slightly downwardly to the right as shown in Fig. 3. At the left-hand ends thereof the member 22 and the bearing 24 are apertured in registration, and a screw 25 is placed in the apertures.' The screw merely projects through the member 22 but is screw-threadedly engaged in internal screw threads provided in the apertured portion of the bearing 24. A screw 26 isassociated in the same y manner as the screw 25 with the right-hand ends ofthe member 22 and the bearing 24. Inwardly of the screw 26 the member 22 is apertured and -internally screw-threaded and a screwv 21. is

screw-threadedly engaged in this screw-threaded portion of the member. The free or upper end of the screw 21 bears against the bottom of the right. end of the bearing 24 to function as an adjusting jack for rocking the bearing 2.4 vertically with the mutually contacting left-hand ends of the bearing 24` and the member 22 acting asa fulcrum. The screws 25: and 26 function as holddown screws for the bearing 24. `It should be seen that suitable. manipulation of the screws 25, 2lik and 21 may be utilized as a means of adjustively rocking the bearing vertically and that the screws 25., 26 and 21 may be tightened in suitable respective positions to hold the bearing in an adjusted position thereof.

J ournalled in the bearing 24 is a tubular kshaft 28 carrying, immediately to the left of the bearing 24,y a. collar 29 fixed on the shaft 28` and having thereon an eccentrically positioned integral element 29a which is apertured in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft l28. An outwardly extending member 3,0, disposed parallel to the axis of the shaft 28, is secured at its inner end in the apertured element 29a and carries on its remaining. end a collar 3|. The element 29a and the collar 3| respectively have apertured lugs 29h and 3|:a` formed thereon and to which the rear side of the Bucky diaphragm unit E is secured by suitable means such as the screws 32. The distance of offset of the member from the axis of the shaft 28 is such that the axis of the shaft 28 is inthe central plane of the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 and the element 29a and the collar 3| are secured to the Bucky diaphragm unit at points centrally located between the respective ends of the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 so that the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 will rotate about its center of mass when the shaft 28 is rotated and will tend to remain in any adjustively rotated position thereof independently of the effects of gravity. To indicate the angle at which the VBucky diaphram unit is disposed, the collar 29 is provided with a circumferentially extending scale 29e graduated in angular degrees and an index mark or pointer 24a is provided on the bearing 24 for cooperation with the scale 29e.

At the right-hand end of the bearing 24 a pair of substantially semi-circular cooperating clamping elements 33 are mounted at apertured lower ends thereof on a screw 34 carried by the bearing 24, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The upper ends of the respective clamping elements are apertured and a handled clamping screw 35 projects through the aperturedupper end of one of the clamping elements 33 into screw threads provided in the apertured portion of the other clamping element so that the clamping elements may be drawn towards each other or permitted to spread apart by manipulating the screw 35. The pair of clamping elements 33 is in encircling relation with a portion of the shaft 28 which projects beyond the bearing 24. A dome-shaped cap 36 is snugly telescoped over the right-hand end of the shaft 28.

The centerline IIJ on the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 is carefully placed in perpendicular relation with the axis of the tubular shaft 28 when the apparatus is built so that the centerline Il) will remain in a plane perpendicular to the subjectsupporting surface of the base I3 throughout rotation of the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 through a complete revolution if the longitudinal axis of the shaft 28 is disposed parallel to the subject-supporting surface. Placement of the shaft 28 in parallel relation with the subject-supporting surface is accomplished by manipulation of the adjusting screws 25, 26 and 2'I and, during this manipulation, the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 should be disposed in a vertical plane so that a plumb line may be used in conjunction with the centerline IU as a guide in obtaining an accurate adjustment. The base I3 should, of course, be leveled up by means of the adjustable feet I4 before the above adjustmentsA are made. A spirit level placed on the subject-supporting surface of the base I3 may be used as a guide in obtaining accurate leveling of the base I3.

With adjustments made as described above, a human subject may standon the subject-supporting surface of the base I3 in a position before the Bucky diaphragm unit, 6. Since the subject-supporting surface is exactly level the subjects posture will be a's desired for taking of radiograph pictures. The centerline IIJ will be disposed exactly in a vertical plane and its image will appear on the finished radiograph picture for use as a reference line which can be relied upon to accurately indicate the position of a vertical plane intersecting the subject. When the subject is leaning forwardly or rearwardly or a radiograph picture is being taken of an inclined portion of the subjects anatomy the Bucky diaphragm unit may be inclined to correspond and the centerline IIJ will still remain in` a vertical plane. For taking radiograph pictures ofvarious portions of a subjects anatomy or accommodating subjects of various heights the Bucky diaphragm Ymay be raised and lowered by manipulating the crank 2| and this adjustment will not Vaffect the relation of the centerline I0 y ,21, are made when the apparatus is originally installed in the location in which it is to be used but may be repeated later on to compensate for possible sagging of the floor upon which the apparatus rests or wear in the bearing 24.

With the Bucky diaphragm unit @supported from one side only, as in my apparatus, it should be seen that the tray 1 may -be readily placed inand removed from the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 without the need for removing the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 from its support.

It should be lseen that my apparatus enables extremely flexible and convenient use of the Bucky diaphragm unit 6 in various positions for taking a great variety of types of radiograph pictures and alfords an exactly horizontal plane subject-supporting surface with which the Bucky diaphragm supporting structure is associated in xed relationship. It also should be seen that the centerline element; I0 functions as a guide in adjusting the apparatus and also as a means of producing an accurate reference line on the nished radiograph picture.

It is apparent that I have invented a. novel, simple, compact, rugged and particularly effective apparatus for supporting both a Bucky diaphragm unit and a, radiograph picture subject and enabling rapid and convenient operation to obtain radiograph pictures which are accurate and include an accurately positioned reference line.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined X-ray Bucky and subject supporting apparatus comprising a, subject supporting base forming a plane subject supporting surface disposed in a horizontal plane, an upstanding supporting structure rigidly xed to said base adjacent an edge of said surface, a member carried by the upper portion of said supporting structure and projecting therefrom substantially horizontally to extend above said surface, an X-ray Bucky, means rotatably supporting said Bucky above said surface on said member for 360 rotation on said member, and means connecting said member to the upper portion of said supporting structure for adjustive tilting movement of said member in a vertical planev to enable accurate placement of said member in exact parallel relation with said surface.

2. A combination X-ray Bucky and subject supporting apparatus comprising, a, subject supporting base having a plane surface upon which the subject is supported, an upstanding standard fixed to said base, an arm holder carried by said standard, an arm mounted in said holder for rotation relative to said standard and base and proy jecting outwardly from said standard to a, position over said subject supporting surface, meansv said standard to accurately position said arm and arm holder so that the axis of rotation of said arm is exactly parallel to said surface,.and an X-ray Bucky carried by said arm above said surface. v i

3. The structure defined in claim 2, said Bucky including an X-ray lm holding ,cassette and a center line element adjacent the iilmholding portion of said cassette and formed of material which is relatively opaque to X-rays, said center line element being set perpendicular to said axis to cast as the nlm is exposed its shadow on the iilm` in aline perpendicular to said supporting .base irrespective of the position of rotation of said arm and form a line on the developed negative for the comparative analysisy of the location of thefmatter reproduced on the negative.

4, `llicombined .X-ray film holder and subject supporting apparatus having in combination a subject supporting. base forming a subject supporting surface; accurately horizontally disposed,

va lm holdenmeans for mounting said lm holderrelative to` said subject supporting base for rotation aboutfan axis parallel to said base and a center line forming element of a material relatively,rv opaque to Xrays set perpendicular to said axis and located and supported adjacent the iilm holder in position to cast a shadow line on the film as it is exposed and form a line on the developed negative for determining the relative 1ocation of matter reproduced on the film, the said shadow line falling at all times in a plane perpendicular tothe supporting base irrespective of the position of rotation of said nlm holder vabout said axis.

CARL YOUNG. 

